Display tray and bracket assembly

ABSTRACT

A shelf bracket assembly for a display tray which is positionable between a pair of horizontally spaced posts, said posts having opposed surfaces with a plurality of axially aligned, vertically spaced, openings therein. A pair of first members are provided with projection means thereon which are receivable into the openings in the posts. The first members are provided with first flange means for engaging the sides of the posts thereby preventing same from twisting relative thereto. A pair of second flange means extend also from said first members laterally of the first flange means. A pair of second members are fixed to the display tray and have means thereon for releasably securing same to the second flange means on the first members so that the display tray will be supported on and by the posts. The second members can be separated from the first members for purposes of adjustment in the height of the first members relative to the posts and for the purpose of disassembly.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Walter H. Sehray 2,897,928 8/1959Selig 248/224X Battle Creek, Mich. 2,915,196 12/1959 Pira 108/109 [2;]App. No. 363.2329 FOREIGN PATENTS [2 Fi e 5] t n Mans), 1971 758,0039/1956 Great Britain 108/109 [73] Assignee United Steel and Wire CompanyPrimary Examiner-Ramon Brim Battle Creek, Mi Attorney-Woodhams,Blanchard and Flynn [54] g g xgfmz fi g BRACKET ASSEMBLY ABSTRACT: Ashelf bracket assembly for a display tray g 185- which 18 positionablebetween a pair of horizontally spaced [52] US. Cl 211/133, posts, idposts h ving opposed surfaces with a plurality of 108/109, 21 1/176,248/224 axially aligned, vertically spaced, openings therein. A pair ofInt. fir t member are provided projection means thereon A47f 10 whichare receivable into the openings in the posts. The first Fleld of Searchmembers are provided first flange means for engaging the 9O, 243/224,223, 225, sides of the posts thereby preventing same from twisting rela-221, 235; 108/109 tive thereto. A pair of second flange means extendalso from References Cited said first members laterally of the firstflange means. A pair of second members are fixed to the display tray andhave means UNITED STATES PATENTS thereon for releasably securing same tothe second flange 900,545 10/ 1 908 Humiston 248/300X means on the firstmembers so that the display tray will be supl,829,009 10/ 1931 Madsen108/ 109X ported on and by the posts. The second members can be1,894,146 1/1933 Baker 248/224X separated from the first members forpurposes of adjustment 2,213,1 15 8/1940 Bales 108/ 109 in the height ofthe first members relative to the posts and for 2,588,009 3/1952 Jones248/224X the purpose of disassembly.

DISPLAY TRAY AND BRACKET ASSEMBLY FIELD OF THE INVENTION This inventionrelates to a shelf bracket for supporting a display tray on a pair ofupright and elongated posts and, more particularly, relates to a shelfbracket which relies on the pressure of the display tray positionedbetween the posts for main taining the engagement of the self bracketwith the upright posts.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various types of supporting devices fordisplay trays are known and have proven to be successful commercially.However, display trays which are positioned between a pair ofhorizontally spaced, upstanding and elongated posts have not beenentirely satisfactory due either to the use of complicated mechanismsfor securing the same to the posts or, where simplicity is attained, dueto limited reliability or flexibility. Particularly, where the devicesare acceptably reliable and capable of commercially necessaryadjustment, they are often space consuming which results in a decreasein the size of the display tray which can be mounted between the posts.

One type of display tray supporting device utilizes a post having aplurality of vertically spaced, rectangular-shaped openings in one wallthereof which receive the hooks on a support member. The openings in theposts must be large enough to receive the hooks on the support member.When stability of the known support members is required, then two rowsof vertically spaced openings are provided in the posts which receive atleast a pair of horizontally spaced hooks on a support member. Thisconstruction thereby minimizes the tendency of the support member totwist relative to the posts. In many instances, particularly where anattempt is made to provide the many openings needed to maximize thenumber of vertical positions to which the display tray can be adjusted,one wall of the post has so many openings therein that theysubstantially weaken the post structure.

Therefore, the objects of this invention include:

I. To provide a shelf bracket for a display tray which is positionablebetween a pair of horizontally spaced, upstanding and elongated postswherein the assembled thickness of the shelf bracket is minimized inorder to maximize the size of the display tray.

2. To provide a bracket assembly which is of a two-piece constructionand wherein the connection between the two pieces is simple and requiresno maintenance.

3. To provide a bracket assembly, as aforesaid, which relies uponpressure of the display tray positioned between the pair of posts tomaintain the bracket assembly in engagement with the posts.

4. To provide a racket assembly, as aforesaid, which is inexpensive tomanufacture, rugged and very simple to use.

Other objects and purposes of this invention will be apparent to personsacquainted with apparatus of this general type upon reading thefollowing specification and inspecting the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIG. I is a perspective view of an assembled display tray arrangement;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged end view of the display tray and the bracketassembly;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the bracket assembly.

Certain terminology will be used in the following description forconvenience in reference only and will not be limiting. The words .up,"down, right and left will designate directions in the drawing to whichreference is made. The words in and out will refer to directions towardand away from, respectively, the geometric center of the device anddesignated parts thereof. Said terminology will include the words abovespecifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar import.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The objects and purposes of the invention aremet by providing a pair of two-piece bracket assemblies which arepositionable between the ends of a display tray and a pair ofhorizontally spaced, upstanding and elongated posts so that one of thebracket members will be positively held adjacent the posts by thedisplay tray and consequently unable to be separated from the postsuntil after the pieces of the bracket assembly secured to the end of thedisplay tray are separated from the members engaging the posts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The merchandise display tray 10 illustrated in FIG.1 comprises a pair of leg structures 11 and 12 separated by a spacingbar I3. A pair of L-shaped brackets 14 and I6 are secured to the legstructures 11 and 12, respectively, as by welding the spacing bar I3 issecured as desired to the horizontal legs of the L-shaped brackets 14and 16, here by a plurality of screws 17. A pair of posts 18 and I9 aresecured to the vertical legs of the L-shaped brackets I4 and 16, as byscrews 21, and have a plurality of vertically spaced, circular openings20 therein.

The display rack I0 is further comprised of a shelf or tray 22. In thisparticular embodiment, the tray is comprised of a wire mesh constructionhaving two sidewalls 23 and 24 and two end walls 25 and 26 and a bottomwall 27. The length of the tray 22 is slightly less than the spacingbetween the posts I8 and I9 to define a pair of clearances 30therebetween, one of which is shown in FIG. 3.

The bracket assembly 28 is comprised of two parts, namely a first member29 which is securable to the posts 18 and I9 and a second member 31fixedly secured to the end walls 25 and 26 of the tray 22. The firstmember 29 is comprised of a flat base portion 32 having a pair ofopenings 33 (FIG. 3) therethrough, the spacing between said openings 33being identical to the vertical spacing between the openings 20 in theposts 18 and 19. A pair of pins 34 having enlarged heads 36 are receivedthrough the openings 33 so that the pin portions 34 project outwardlytherefrom. The diameter of the enlarged heads 36 is greater than thediameter of the openings 33 and are secured to the base portion 32, asby welding (FIG. 3).

A pair of tabs 37 and 38 are formed on the upper end of the base portion32 and project outwardly in parallelism with the pins 34. In thisparticular embodiment, the tabs 37 and 38 are horizontally spaced adistance only enough greater than the thickness of the posts 18 and 19to enable said tabs to embrace said posts easily yet snugly. A pair oftabs 39 and 41 are formed at the lower end of the base portion 32 andproject outwardly in parallelism with the pins 34 and are spaced adistance equal to the thickness of the posts 13 and 13.

The base portion 32 also supports a pair of laterally extending L-shapedflanges 42 and 43. In this particular embodiment, the legs 44 and 46 ofthe flanges 42 and 43 are parallel with the base portion 32 and areconnected thereto by the legs 47 and 43 (FIG. 3). The flange legs 44 and46 are offset from the base portion 32 a distance approximately thethickness of the heads 36, whereby said heads 36 are recessed in thetrough 49 formed by the base portion 32 and the legs 47 and 43.

The outer edges 51 and 52 (FIG. 2) of the flanges 42 and 43 are inclined4 to 10 from the vertical to define locking surfaces. In this particularembodiment, the edges 51 and 52 are inclined at 5".

The second member 3ll is secured to the end walls 25 and 26 as bywelding. The second member 31 is comprised of a flat sheet metal base 53having end portions 54 and 56 which are bent at back upon the baseportion 53 to define a pair of elongated recesses 57 and 53. The endportions 54 and 56 are formed in such a manner that the elongatedrecesses 57 and 58 are inclined 4 to 10 to the vertical. Furthermore,the width of the elongated recesses 57 and 53 is slightly greater thanthe thickness of the flanges 42 and 43 and the horizontal spacingbetween the bottoms of the recesses 57 and 58 is preferably equal to thehorizontal distance between the surfaces 51 and 52 so that when theflanges 42 and 43 are inserted into the recesses 57 and 58, the secondmember 31 will become supported on the flanges 42 and 43.

OPERATION The operation of the device embodying the invention will bedescribed in detail hereinbelow for a better understanding of theinvention.

Since the length of the display tray 22 is slightly less than thehorizontal spacing between the posts 18 and 19, there is just enoughroom in the clearances 30 defined therebetween for the reception of thefirst and second members 29 and 31, respectively, of the two bracketassemblies 28 at each end of the tray. The pins 34 of the first members29 are inserted into the openings 20 in the posts 13 and 19. The tabs37, 38 and 39, engage the sidewalls of the posts to assist the pins 34in preventing a twisting of the first member 29 relative to the posts 18and 19.

The second members 31 which are secured to the end walls and 26 of thetray 22 are telescoped over the flanges 4-2 and 43 of the first member29 so that the tray 22 will become supported on the first members 29.The inner side surfaces of the elongated recesses 57 and 58 will engagethe edges 51 and 52 on the first member 29 to define an interlockingengagement between the first and second members. Since the space betweenthe horizontally spaced posts 18 and 19 is virtually taken up by thelength of the tray 22 and the assembled thicknesses of a pair of bracketassemblies 28, the first members 2% are positively held against theposts 13 and 59 so that the pins 34 thereof are able to retract from theholes 20.

When adjustment in the height of the tray 22 relative to the posts isdesired, the second members 31 secured to the tray 22 must bedisconnected from the first members 29. This is accomplished by liftingthe tray 22 upwardly. The inner surfaces of the recesses 57 and 58 willbecome disengaged from the edges 51 and 52. Once the tray 22 is movedout from between the posts 18 and 19, the first members 29 can then bepulled outwardly away from the posts and the pins 34 are withdrawn fromthe openings 20. The first members 29 can then be selectivelyrepositioned vertically on the posts 18 and 19. The process ofassembling the shelf to the posts 18 and 19 is the reverse of thedisassembling process.

lclaim:

1. ln a bracket assembly supporting a display tray positioned between apair of horizontally spaced, upstanding and elongated posts, saiddisplay tray having a length slightly less than the horizontal spacingbetween said posts thereby defining a pair of clearances between saiddisplay tray and said pair of posts, said pair of posts having opposedsurfaces, said opposed surfaces having a plurality of axially aligned,vertically spaced openings therein, the combination comprising:

support members having projection means thereon received in axiallyaligned openings in said posts, said support members having first flangemeans thereon engaging the lateral sides of said posts adjacent saidopposed surfaces on said posts to thereby prevent said support membersfrom twisting relative to said posts and second flange means extendinglaterally of said first flange means, said second flange means includinga pair of oppositely directed, elongated flanges extending substantiallyparallel to said posts, said flanges uniformly increasing in lateralwidth in a vertical direction with respect to said posts to define apair of wedge-shaped surfaces;

guide members fixedly secured to the ends of said display tray adjacentsaid posts and in said clearances, said guide members having groovemeans thereon corresponding in shape to and being dimensioned to receivesaid second flange means and being releasably secured thereto, saidsupport members and said guide members having an assembled thicknessequal to the combined clearance dimensions between said display tray andsaid pair of posts whereby said support members are tightly urgedagainst said posts and hereby unable to be separated from said postsuntil after said display tray and said guide members have been separatedfrom said support membets.

2. The bracket assembly defined in claim 1, wherein said openings insaid posts are circular in cross section and wherein said projectionmeans is circular in cross section.

3. In a bracket assembly supporting an article support means positionedbetween a pair of horizontally spaced frame elements having opposedsurfaces with a plurality of axially aligned spaced openings therein,said article support means having at least a portion thereof having alength less than the horizontal spacing between said frame elementsthereby defining at least one clearance space between one end of saidarticle support means and an adjacent one of said pair of frameelements, bracket means disposed in said clearance space forinterconnecting said one end of said article support means to said oneframe element, and mounting means for interconnecting the other end ofsaid support means to said other frame element, said bracket meanscomprising:

a support member releasably mounted on said one frame element in one ofa plurality of mounting positions, said support member having projectionmeans thereon freely slideably received in one of said openings in saidone frame element, said support member also having means thereonengageable with said one frame element for preventing said supportmember from twisting within a substantially vertical plane relative tosaid one frame element;

3 guide member secured to said one end of said article support meansadjacent said one frame element and in said clearance space, said guidemember being releasably mountable on said support member;

flange means fixedly secured to one of said support member and saidguide member, said flange means including a pair of oppositely directed,elongated flanges which substantially uniformly diverge to define a pairof wedgeshaped surfaces; and

groove means fixedly secured to the other of said support member andsaid guide member, said groove means defining grooves corresponding inshape to and being dimensioned to receive said flange means forreleasably connecting said support member and said guide member, saidsupport member and said guide member having an assembled thicknesssubstantially equal to the width of said clearance space whereby saidsupport member is maintained in engagement with said one frame elementdue to said article support means being positioned between said pair offrame elements.

4. A bracket assembly according to claim 3, wherein a further clearancespace is provided between the other end of said article support meansand the other of said pair of frame elements, and said mounting meanscomprising a further bracket means identical to said first-mentionedbracket means.

5. A bracket assembly according to claim 3, wherein said projectionmeans comprises at least one pin projecting outwardly of said supportmember and into at least one of said openings in said one frame element.

6. A bracket assembly according to claim 3, wherein said means forpreventing said support member from twisting relative to said one frameelement includes flange means on said support member for engaging thesides of said one frame element to thereby prevent said support memberfrom twisting relative to said one frame element when said supportmember is engaged therewith.

1. In a bracket assembly supporting a display tray positioned between apair of horizontally spaced, upstanding and elongated posts, saiddisplay tray having a length slightly less than the horizontal spacingbetween said posts thereby defining a pair of clearances between saiddisplay tray and said pair of posts, said pair of posts having opposedsurfaces, said opposed surfaces having a plurality of axially aligned,vertically spaced openings therein, the combination comprising: supportmembers having projection means thereon received in axially alignedopenings in said posts, said support members having first flange meansthereon engaging the lateral sides of said posts adjacent said opposedsurfaces on said posts to thereby prevent said support members fromtwisting relative to said posts and second flange means extendinglaterally of said first flange means, said second flange means includinga pair of oppositely directed, elongated flanges extending substantiallyparallel to said posts, said flanges uniformly increasing in lateralwidth in a vertical direction with respect to said posts to define apair of wedge-shaped surfaces; guide members fixedly secured to the endsof said display tray adjacent said posts and in said clearances, saidguide members having groove means thereon corresponding in shape to andbeing dimensioned to receive said second flange means and beingreleasably secured thereto, said support members and said guide membershaving an assembled thickness equal to the combined clearance dimensionsbetween said display tray and said pair of posts whereby said supportmembers are tightly urged against said posts and thereby unable to beseparated from said posts until after said display tray and said guidemembers have been separated from said support members.
 2. The bracketassembly defined in claim 1, wherein said openings in said posts arecircular in cross section and wherein said projection means is circularin cross section.
 3. In a bracket assembly supporting an article supportmeans positioned between a pair of horizontally spaced frame elementshaving opposed surfaces with a plurality of axially aligned spacedopenings therein, said article support means having at least a portionthereof having a length less than the horizontal spacing between saidframe elements thereby defining at least one clearance space between oneend of said article support means and an adjacent one of said pair offrame elements, bracket means disposed in said clearance space forinterconnecting said one end of said article support means to said oneframe element, and mounting means for interconnecting the other end ofsaid support means to said other frame element, said bracket meanscomprising: a support member releasably mounted on said one frameelement in one of a plurality of mounting positions, said support memberhaving projection means thereon freely slideably received in one of saidopenings in said one frame element, said support member also havingmeans thereon engageable with said one frame element for preventing saidsupport member from twisting within a substantially vertical planerelative to said one frame element; a guide member secured to said oneend of said article support means adjacent said one frame element and insaid clearance space, said guide member being releasably mountable onsaid support member; flange means fixedly secured to one of said supportmember and said guide member, said flange means including a pair ofoppositely directed, elongated flanges which substantially uniformlydiverge to define a pair of wedge-shaped surfaces; and groove meansfixedly secured to the other of said support member and said guidemember, said groove means defining grooves corresponding in shape to andbeing dimensioned to receive said flange means for releasably connectingsaid support member and said Guide member, said support member and saidguide member having an assembled thickness substantially equal to thewidth of said clearance space whereby said support member is maintainedin engagement with said one frame element due to said article supportmeans being positioned between said pair of frame elements.
 4. A bracketassembly according to claim 3, wherein a further clearance space isprovided between the other end of said article support means and theother of said pair of frame elements, and said mounting means comprisinga further bracket means identical to said first-mentioned bracket means.5. A bracket assembly according to claim 3, wherein said projectionmeans comprises at least one pin projecting outwardly of said supportmember and into at least one of said openings in said one frame element.6. A bracket assembly according to claim 3, wherein said means forpreventing said support member from twisting relative to said one frameelement includes flange means on said support member for engaging thesides of said one frame element to thereby prevent said support memberfrom twisting relative to said one frame element when said supportmember is engaged therewith.